CTA Tattler

Creepy bus stalker guy

Today we feature a guest post from Melissa. (Thanks for reading and contributing!)

With the more temperate weather lately, I've been biking to and from work a lot and not riding the CTA as much. But since it was supposed to rain all evening yesterday and I planned on being at work until about 3 am, I decided to take transit.

Now, I'm quite accustomed to the fact that the #66 Belmont bus only runs every half-hour during "Owl Service" hours, and the buses usually run pretty consistently. But occasionally, one runs a bit late, or more often a bit early. Such was the case last night.

I could conduct a lengthy diatribe about the unusual people I encounter riding the bus so late at night as frequently as I do, but last night was a first for me....

Creepy stalker guy: I arrived at the bus stop having just missed the one I intended to catch. After a few minutes wait, I saw the next bus headed eastbound to complete its journey before turning around and charioting me westward towards my home. I knew the wait wouldn't be terribly long.

A cab passed me by, and the lone, (presumably) drunk middle-aged male passenger leaned out the window and asked me where I was going. Of course, being a female standing at a bus stop at roughly 3 am, I neglected to answer. The cab drove on. I chuckled a bit and thought nothing more of the event. Until, of course, the cab pulled over about a half block west of the bus stop and the passenger exited.

It must have taken him 5 minutes to walk the half block back towards me, stopping every so often, failing to succesfully hide behind trees and sign-posts. When he did finally reach me, he passed by, simply uttering, "the bus WILL eventually come." He continued walking another block east in a manner matching his approach.

About this time, the bus was in sight about 3 blocks away. I was just barely creeped out enough to pray that the guy wasn't able to board.

I was quite relieved when the bus passed the position where I'd last seen him, but my relief was temporary. I soon realized that he had hired a cab, which was following the bus.

The man proceeded to follow the bus in the cab from Southport to California/Elston before he gave up and turned around and headed back east.

I was able to disembark as normal at Pulaski and traverse my 4 blocks home in safety, but it really made me rethink my refusal to pay the $10 cab fare from work to the house at 3 am.